One approach is to first define services then to organize your team structure around providing the cross-functional services. You will find that you will need representation on the teams from many different areas and skills (business, technical, organizational).

The ITIL framework doesn't say a lot about the organisational structure. It does have plenty to say about roles and responsibilities.

Usually ICT departments are organised around technologies - which makes sense - network engineers in the 'networks' unit and so on. It's an appropriate way to deploy your talent.

In most cases ITIL based processes are superimposed onto these teams - with some specialist roles - like a problem, or change 'Manager' - employed to over see and coordinate these activities. Thereby (in theory) ensuring that operational activities become aligned to service management objectives.

The only place the roles and responsibilities tend to be truly reflected in the org chart are in the Service Desk - and the Incident Management process.

I'm a little cynical on this point - so I won't say too much more But if you don't want to 'spin your wheels' think about where accountability for service management processes lies. Is it in the same place in which rests the authority to make decisions and allocate resources (day to day)?

My response was a little editorial - and today when I was skimming the Service Delivery preface I noticed the following...

Quote:

For each of the processes described in this book, one or more roles are identified for carrying out the functions and activities required. It should be noted that organisations may allocate more than one role to an individual within the organisation (although this book indicates where specific roles should not be merged), or may allocate more than one individual to a role. The purpose of the role is to locate responsibility rather than to create an organisational structure.

(My emphasis) Which is pretty much the 'chapter and verse' replay from the Library itself.